Finally, a weekend all to myself. Since I lead such an exciting life I pretty much stayed in all weekend and tied flies. Alaska is only 4 months away so I need to get cracking. It may seem like that is a lot of time but warmer weather is right around the corner and soon I will be chasing walleye after work and everything else on weekends.

Before I got started I made up quick trip to Schultz’s Outfitters to pick up some more pink. They also got some of the new waterproof Plan D articulated fly boxes so of course I had to buy one and fill it. I really like these boxes.

Once that was full it was on to filling a regular old Plano box. Not as fancy but it serves its purpose.

Here are a few close ups of some of the flies.

More to come. Still need to tie up the top water stuff for the Rainbows, Grayling and Coho’s.

Recently, I put down a deposit on a trip of a lifetime, a Fly-In Fishing trip to Alaska. This is a trip I have wanted to do for a long time and has been cancelled a couple of times. My Dad, brother and I were supposed to go a couple of years ago but when my Dad got his cancer diagnosis we had to cancel. The real kick in the teeth, for that trip, came a week after his funeral when one of the guides I booked called me to see if my Father and I wanted to re-schedule. He felt terrible after I told him that wouldn’t be happening. Susan and I had made plans to go this past summer but once again fate kicked me in the nuts and that trip didn’t happen. Now it’s just me, I’m flying in by myself to fish at a lodge on The Alagnak River. I will be with a group of other people but I’ll be free to do whatever I want, or whatever the guide tells me I can do.

Since this trip is next August I have plenty of time to get the gear together I am going to need. Thanks to my severance check I was able to go on a spending spree. I picked up all the rods and reels I will need to tackle just about any fresh water fish in North America. I still have to pick up a dry bag and carry on rod case but I have time. What I really need to get started on is an arsenal of Alaska Flies.

Because of my affection for egg sucking leeches I already have one type out of the way. It’s everything else I need to tie up. My imitations have always been about flash and matching the local food source. Now the prominent color appears to be pink and a fair amount of flies imitating the flesh of decomposing salmon. Sounds disgusting I know but when in Rome…..

So without further adieu I give you the first of many Alaska flies.

My First Flesh Fly imitation. Thankfully it doesn’t smell like a rotten salmon.

This one is Called a Chum Slumber. Don’t quite understand the name but it is very pink. It is an easy tie though. Gotta appreciate that.